Baby chick debeaking and packing mechanism



p 27, 1966 L. REYNOLDS BABY cmcx DEBEAKING AND PACKING MECHANISM Filed March 4, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l MAME OQQEHKEF INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,274,974 BABY CHICK DEEEAKING AND PACKING MECHANISM Lamar Reynolds, Rte. 2, Box 140, Gainesville, Ga. Filed Mar. 4, 1965, Ser. No. 437,164 8 Claims. (Cl. 119103) The invention relates to apparatus for use in chick hatcheries, intended to facilitate the grading, debeaking and packing of baby chicks.

The normal procedure in carrying out these steps involves some 13 steps on the part of the operator and multiple handling of the chicks.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement by which the chicks are only handled once and by which the number of steps required is reduced by about 10. The result is a substantial saving in labor cost in carrying out these procedures.

Primarily, the invention contemplates the use of a stand which is easily portable and is positioned adjacent an incubator, this stand having arms for receiving an incubator tray, a rotating disc for holding a chick restraining shipping and packing box, other arms for receiving boxes for culls, and a debeaker mounted above the disc. With such an arrangement, the operator is able to remove a tray from the incubator, place it on the receiving arms, locate a packing or shipping box on the disc, and pick up two chicks, one with each hand, debeak them and drop each one in one quadrant of the packing box, or, if one of the chicks is a cull, deposit it in one of the boxes at the sides of the device.

When two quadrants are filled, the box is turned by rotating the disc and the next two quadrants are filled in the same way. When a packing box is full, it is re moved and replaced by another one.

As a result, all of the operations which are performed from the incubator to the packing box are carried out with a single handling of the chick, and the movement required by the operator is reduced to a minimum.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows in side elevation a machine embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view thereof; and

FIG. 3 is a top plan view showing the machine in position with reference to an incubator and an operator.

The machine includes a stand having a base 2 with rollers 4 atone end and feet 6 at the other end, thus permitting ready movement of the device by merely lifting the feet 6 off the floor. Centrally of the base there is a stand or standard 8, within the top of which is slidable a part 10, so as to permit vertical adjustment, which can be fixed by a screw 12.

Part 10 carries at its top a rearwardly extending member 14 with an upwardly turned part 16 at its rear end, in which is slidable a part 18, for vertical adjustment which may be fixed by screw 20. Part 18 has a forwardly extending arm 22, the front end of which has spaced walls 24 between which is located a debeaker 26 of a conventional construction, the details of which form no part of this invention. This debeaker is capable of debeaking two chicks at one time. Its position may be adjusted by set screws 28 engaging the sides of the debeaker. It is positioned to allow debeaking of chicks by an operator standing in front of the stand.

Extending downwardly from the horizontal member 14 is a member 30, from opposite sides of which arms 32 extend. Sleeves 34 are slidable on arms 32 and their position can be varied by set screws 36.

At the forward end of member 14 is a crossbar 38, having downwardly turned ends 40 and forwardly extending arms 42. Mounted by ball bearings on a stem 44 extending above horizontal members 14, and preferably positioned over the central axis of the standard 8, is a disc 46. The edge of this disc extends forwardly somewhat beyond the forward end of the debeaker 26, and also somewhat beyond the vertical members 40 so as to overhang a tray carried by arms 42.

The drawings indicate the mounting of the chick incubator tray and the boxes, in broken lines. 48 is an incubator tray which is normally 16" x 3" X 36". 50 is the chick restraining shipping or packing box for the debeaked chicks, which is normally 18" x 24" divided into four quadrants. 52 and 54 are similar packing boxes for culls.

FIG. 3 shows the device positioned in front of an incubator 56, with an operator 58 therebetween.

In use, the operator removes a tray 48 from the incubator, and places it on arms 42. If boxes 52, 54 and 50 are not already in position, they are put in the positions shown. Thereafter, the operator grasps one chick in each hand, from the tray; debeaks both of them at once; and, if they are not culls, places one in each quadrant of a restraining and packing box 50. However if she holds a cull in either hand, she deposits it either in the right hand box 52 or the left hand box 54.

When the two quadrants are filled, the operator turns the box 50 :by turning the disc 46 and fills the other two quadrants in the same way. The box is then removed, covered and another box put in its place.

While I have described herein one embodiment of my invention, I Wish it to be understood that I do not intend to limit myself thereby except within the scope of the claims hereto or hereinafter appended.

I claim:

1. A device for use in handling baby fowl, comprising a stand, a horizontal support mounted on said stand to turn about a vertical axis for receiving a chick restraining shipping box, said stand having tray-receiving means thereon at the front to receive and support an incubator tray in a position in front of and at a level slightly below said horizontal support, said stand having a forwardly extending arm extending above said horizontal support, and debeaking mechanism carried by said arm in a position to allow debeaking of fowl by a operator standing in front of the device.

2. In a device as claimed in claim 1, said stand having box-receiving means at each side back of said tray-receiving means.

3. In a device as claimed in claim 2, said horizontal support comprising a disc extending partly above said tray-receiving means so as to overhang a tray carried thereby.

4. In a device as claimed in claim 3, said tray-receiving means comprising spaced forwardly extending arms.

5. In a device as claimed in claim 4, said stand having wheels thereon for transport from one position to another.

6. A device for use in handling baby fowl, comprising a stand, a horizontal support mounted on said stand to turn about a vertical axis for receiving a chick restraining shipping box, said stand having tray-receiving means thereon at the front to receive and support an incubator tray in a position in front of and at a level slightly below said horizontal support, said stand having a forwardly extending arm extending above said horizontal support, and debeaking mechanism carried by said arm in a position to allow debeaking of fowl by an operator standing in front of the device, said horizontal support comprising a disc extending partly above said tray-receiving means so as to overhang a tray carried thereby.

7. In a device as claimed in claim 6, said tray-receiving means comprising spaced forwardly extending arms.

8. A device for use in handling baby fowl, comprising a stand, a horizontal support mounted on said stand to turn about a vertical axis for receiving a chick restraining shipping boX, said stand having tray-receiving means thereon at the front to receive and support an incubator tray in a position in front of and at a level slightly below said horizontal support, said stand having a forwardly extending arm extending above said horizontal support, and debeaking mechanism carried by said arm in a position to allow debeaking of fowl by an operator standing in front of the device, said stand having wheels thereon for transport from one position to another.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,059,712 4/1913 Conkey 1l9--103 1,346,586 7/1920 Barber 248404 1,704,045 3/1929 Jackson l19--103 2,631,568 3/1953 Beach 119-103 10 2,829,622 4/1958 Borthwick 119-403 SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

ALDRICH F. MEDBERY, Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR USE IN HANDLE BABY FOWL, COMPRISING A STAND, A HORIZONTAL SUPPORT MOUNTED ON SAID STAND TO TURN ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS FOR RECEIVING A CHICK RESTRAINING SHIPPING BOX, SAID STAND HAVING TRAY-RECEIVING MEANS THEREON AT THE FRONT TO RECEIVE AND SUPPORT AN INCUBATOR TRAY IN A POSITION IN FRONT OF AND AT LEVEL SLIGHTLY BELOW SAID HORIZONTAL SUPPORT, SAID STAND HAVING A FORWARDLY EXTENDING ARM EXTENDING ABOVE SAID SAID HORIZONTAL SUPPORT, AND DEBEAKING MECHANISM CARRIED BY SAID ARM IN A POSITION TO ALLOW DEBEAKING OF FOWL BY A OPERATOR STANDING IN FRONT OF THE DEVICE. 